"Lolth!" Khessa, who was helping to gather clues, repeats the infamous name as soon as she hears it "That disgusting oversized she-vermin who thinks she's a goddess!"

The blonde arcane warrior is surprised to have to deal with the machinations of the cruel entity again! As if it wasn't enough to have lost her family in the Underdark... And the surprise and anger are such, that she doesn't notice the threat of the monsters, until it's already too late...

[[ OOC: ...And for this reason she will act much later, together with Group 5. At least she has her armor, this time! ]]

“Spiders, eh? Let’s try snakes!” says Coriana as she throws Asclepius between the Ettercap and the rest of the party. She also summons her tentacle and tries to fend off the spider swarms on the stairs.

Move: none.
Action: Magic action to summon Asclepius.
Bonus Action: Summon Tentacle. AC 21, 7 cold.

Asclepius goes immediately after me so he gets a shot on the Ettercap.
Bite: AC 20, 14 piercing.
Constrict: Str Save DC 14 or take 16 bludgeoning and be grappled (Escape DC 14)

Theldrin curses under his breath, then focuses on the giant spider, sending 3 rays of fire at the approaching arachnid.

Scorching Ray

Attack: 20 Damage: 11
Attack: 12 Damage: 11
Attack: 26 Damage: 17

Two of Theldrin's Rays hit, blowing the Giant Spider apart in wreathing fire, the cobwebs around it quicky catch alight and quickly burn away. Suddenly faced with a Large snake in front of it, the Ettercap Bites and Claw's at the monster:

Bite against Asclepius Attack: 15 Damage: 6 Piercing and Damage: 3 Poison. And Asclepius is Poisoned condition until the start of the Ettercap's next turn.

Claw against Asclepius Attack: 13 Damage: 9 Slashing

Avery is up, swarms of spiders come up the stairs from below deck, while an Ettercap slashes into Asclepius.

Quote from Painted_Beyond >>

"Lolth!" Khessa, who was helping to gather clues, repeats the infamous name as soon as she hears it "That disgusting oversized she-vermin who thinks she's a goddess!"

 

Remembering Khessa's tragic family history, Xanrym gives Khessa a sympathetic look.  "I'm afraid so," he says.  Looking toward Khessa, he's also caught completely off-guard when the giant spider and ettercap attack.  He can only stare in awful fascination as the (large-sized) spider emerges from the debris quite near him.  Thankfully, not everyone in the party is so surprised!  The brilliant light from the rays of Theldrin's spell shake him out of his momentary shock, and he says, "Well done, Theldrin!"

As the giant spider is near Avery, he will engage it: Attack 24, damage 12

The giant spider has been “blown apart” by Theldrin.

(OOC: @Aaggie, it looks like Avery has enough movement -- if he passes Theldrin and Asclepius and can leap over the stairs going down -- to get into the NE corner of the room and make his attack on the ettercap this round.  That is, he can do that if we're using the new 2024 rules on movement:

 )

(Since the Spider is down, I'll have Avery attack the easiest accessible enemy, which is the first spider swarm.)

Avery steps to the top of the stairs and slices at the swarm of spiders. The attack kills a few, but a single sword isn't somewhat ineffective at killing many small beasts.

The first Swarm of Spiders moves around Avery to attack Coriana, while the second moves to the top of the stairs to attack Avery:

Bites against Coriana Attack: 13 Damage: 4 Poison

Bites against Avery Attack: 23 Damage: 10 Poison

Group 5 and Group 1 are up. The Ettercap fights with Asclepius while the Spider Swarms have come up the stairs and attack Avery and Coriana.

Xanrym: round 1

Xanrym recovers from his surprise and, with the giant spider dead, he looks to help defeat their other foes.  Since he was examining the altar when they were attacked, he didn't even have his crossbow ready when they were attacked.  He's glad to see Asclepious is back in action with them, and he figures that the snake can keep the Ettercap tied up for now.  He asks, "Avery, if nothing else is coming up from below, can you get out of there before you're covered in spiders?"

Xanrym isn't sure whether Vicious Mockery would be effective against a "swarm," and casting a more powerful spell seems like overkill for a bunch of little spiders.  He figures that even venomous creatures aren't usually impervious to all poisons and tries Poison Spray.  After he casts the spell, he moves to the south and west to give the others more room to maneuver freely but to keep his torch within range to give Avery and Coriana light to fight by.

Movement: 7-ft west and 5-ft south.  Xanrym is currently on a grid line, move to the aft wall of the ship and then 1.5 squares toward the port side.
Action: Cast spell Poison Spray, 22, Damage: 10 (poison)
Free Action: Talking. 

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

Xanrym: round 1

 

Movement: 7-ft west and 5-ft south.  Xanrym is currently on a grid line, move to the aft wall of the ship and then 1.5 squares toward the port side.
Action: Cast spell Poison Spray, 22, Damage: 10 (poison)

(OOC: I forgot to specify that Xanrym was targeting the swarm of spiders south of Coriana.)

Khessa is furious with herself for letting herself be surprised by these Lolth minions! Her companions need her!

The blonde arcane warrior imitates Xanrym in temporarily abandoning the hybrid, who already seems to have his own problems with the serpent Asclepious, to focus on the swarm - and to the power of poison she combines that of magical fire, throwing a mote of fire against the same swarm targeted by the bard.

'Let's hope we can disperse these vermins quickly...' the tall adventuress thinks, as the fire projectile flies precisely towards the target that her blue eyes are glaring at with hatred and determination...

Khessa's Fire Bolt Attack: 19 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. (fire)

(OOC does Syllen see anything in the room that is magical from his detect magic spell?)

Syllen seems a little sad.

“This corruption of nature should be eradicated quickly.”

Channeling his cosmic power a bow forms on his arm as radiant energy shoots from his hand. Syllen attacks the same spiders that the other are.

Guiding Bolt Attack:14 Damage:14 (Radiant)

(BA)Luminous Arrow Attack: 12 Damage: 10 (Radiant)

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

(OOC: @Aaggie, it looks like Avery has enough movement -- if he passes Theldrin and Asclepius and can leap over the stairs going down -- to get into the NE corner of the room and make his attack on the ettercap this round.  That is, he can do that if we're using the new 2024 rules on movement:

The 2024 rules say that you can pass an ally without using extra movement:

Another creature’s space is Difficult Terrain for you unless that creature is Tiny or your ally.

That's a change 2014 rules: 

The space of another creature, whether hostile or not, also counts as difficult terrain. 

 )

 

 Lets do that then

The three in the backline throw their spells, destroying both swarms of spiders in radiant, poison, and fire damage. The only creature left is the Ettercap tackling the giant snake.

Theldrin and Coriana are still up.